HUNDREDS of residents are expected to sign a petition demanding action to make one of Nantwich's busiest roads safer.

It is being organised by the Hospital Street Association and follows the tragic deaths there of two pensioners who were crushed by a lorry.

Residents are also being asked to log as many 'incidents' as possible. They will be presented to the coroner at a joint inquest into the deaths of 78-year-old Derrick Jones and his 67-year-old wife, Evelyn, who died in November last year.

Association chairman, architect Anthony Blacklay, said: 'I was born in the street in 1949 so I know about its problems. I lived away for some years and when I moved back to town in 1975, traff ic conditions were tolerable.

'But in the past decade, things have become increasingly worse and now they are diabolical.

'The tragic deaths of Mr and Mrs Jones are not the sole reason for our petition but they were the catalyst.

'Their deaths coincided more or less with the completion of the new road through the Cronkinson Farm estate. Before that was opened, we accepted that the many heavy vehicles which use Hospital Street had no other route to take.

'But they have now. For most of them there is no longer any need to use Hospital Street.'

The petition urges the banning of through traff ic, the introduction of a weight restriction, a 20mph zone, the widening of pave-ments and improvements to the environment.

It will be submitted to Cheshire County Council and has the backing of Crewe and Nantwich Borough councillors Doug and Penny Butterill, who lived in the street until recently.

Mr Butterill said: 'We have joined the association and will sign the petition. We know from first-hand the problems residents face every day.

'The tragic deaths were unfortunately the spark that was needed to galvanise residents into action and both Penny and I will do everything we can to support the campaign.'

* Association member Roger Dutton wants people to report accidents on Hospital Street to him on 01270 621776.